


With you, Life is a Dream

by crystalklances



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist Keith (Voltron), Dreamsharing, Established Relationship, Fluff, Long-distance soulmates, M/M, Musician Lance (Voltron), Smitten Keith (Voltron), Soft Keith (Voltron), Soft Keith/Lance (Voltron), Soulmates, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Lance (Voltron), Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, attentive keith, but don't worry it's me so this is the softest thing and nothing but happy ending, the tiniest bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-09-25 12:30:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17121401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystalklances/pseuds/crystalklances
Summary: In a world where soulmates share all kinds of different bonds, Lance has a very special one: when he's asleep, all his dreams are shared with Keith. Living far apart from each other, it's the only way they can spend time together and go on dates—but it doesn't dampen the love they feel for each other.





	With you, Life is a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> I'm happy to present my completed piece I did for the Dreamscape Zine! I started to work on it last August and I've been so excited to share it with everyone. I've always had a big love for dream themes of all different kinds so I was thrilled when I found out I was accepted as one of the writers for the zine! I was assigned to write for the "nice dreams" section and went for writing fluff with Klance as soulmates. It feels a tad bit fitting now with the series ending, because even after everything, they fit together so perfectly.
> 
> This is one of my own most favorite pieces that I poured a lot of my heart in while struggling big time with my health and later work stress. I personally think it's one of the softest I've written. Either way, I hope you'll enjoy reading!

Lance had always treasured his dreams. They were special shards in the beautiful mosaic of life, little pieces of stars blessing his sleep.

In his dreams, he didn’t have to worry about not being seen as a boy. In dreams, there were no boundaries to where you could go, what you could do. You could soar through the skies, walk on the bottom of the ocean, fly to the moon and float in the vast expanse of outer space.

But most of all, in his dreams, Lance could meet his soulmate; the love of his life.

He had met Keith in his dreams for as long as he could remember. There had always been a feeling of familiarity, of comfort, of _warmth_ that Lance couldn’t quite place when he was a small kid. As long as Keith was there, his dreams were always sweet. He rarely had nightmares.

At first, he had thought Keith was just a figment of his imagination, maybe a guardian angel of sorts coming to him in a way that wouldn’t frighten him. But then, when he told his grandma about it, she smiled and explained that he must share a special bond with the boy who was always there in his dreams.

Soulmates could have all kinds of bonds, ranging from cosmic strings connecting their fingers, to words on your skin, to a countdown until your first meeting. Some were more common, some were rarer, depending on the bond the destined people shared. Lance knew all this because he had such a big family and they all had different bonds with their soulmates. Sometimes, Lance had wondered why he didn’t have anything like his relatives, if he even had a soulmate at all.

Until he learned that sharing your dreams with your soulmate was the rarest bond of them all, the most unique—for two people who were destined to fall in love in every life, through all universes. Who were so meant for each other, who were opposites at first glance but _completed_ and _balanced_ each other so perfectly, who inspired each other. Whose love was so _deep_ , so _pure_ , in every way and shape possible.

After that conversation with his grandma, Lance was so excited he had to share what he learned with Keith when they met the next time he was asleep. He just blurted it out without greeting and when there was no response, he grew nervous.

But then, Keith took his hand, smiled fondly, and said, “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. My mom told me about special dreams before.” He squeezed Lance’s hand, his smile growing softer still. “And I know that you’re very special to me.”

Lance’s smile split his cheeks as he threw his arm around Keith for a hug while their hands were still linked. And from then on, he didn’t have to worry anymore because he knew that his soulmate was out there, and his name was Keith and Lance loved him and he loved Lance.

Even now, as he was grown up and the physical distance was a heavy ache in his chest when he was awake, Lance fell asleep with a smile every night, knowing that he would meet Keith in his dreams.

≻─ ⋆✩⋆ ─≺

Lance has to admit, it’s weird to have your eyes closed in a dream. Even if he should be used to it by now because somehow Keith has a habit of wanting to surprise him with whatever it was he picked as their date for the night. Not _all_ the time, but often enough.

The sensation of shifting scenery always feels more intense, more floaty with his eyes closed. Keith’s hold on his hand is gentle, yet firm, so Lance knows nothing could happen to him. He’s never scared—Keith has always made him feel nothing but safe and protected. Being with Keith is like a warm hug, snuggled close together by the fireside.

“Are we there yet?” Lance asks.

“Not yet,” Keith replies.

Lance pouts. “You just like messing with me, don’t you?”

Beside him, Keith chuckles. The sound makes Lance smile even as he feigns annoyance. “Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. You know sometimes it takes a bit longer to get the scenery right.”

“I know, I know. _Especially_ for your artistic eye.” Lance smiles again. He really wishes he could see more of Keith’s art; he loves all the glimpses Keith has shown him through the years.

“As if you’re much better about setting the right soundscape,” Keith teases. “Not that I mind, especially when it’s _your_ music.”

“If you think flattery will get you a kiss… then you’re absolutely right.”

“That’s the plan. I’m out for that kiss when you see where I brought you.” Even with his eyes closed, Lance can _hear_ the smirk in Keith’s voice.

“Does that mean we’re there?”

“Yup.”

Lance finally opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is Keith’s trademark, flirty smirk. Then he looks around and gasps.

Keith brought him to a beach. Not just any beach, but one that’s right out of a fantasy picture book: a pastel pink sky with yellow cotton candy clouds, sparkling turquoise water, soft, peach-colored sand. It’s _dreamy_ , in all senses of the word. Lance has basically grown up by the ocean and lived there all his life but even to him, it’s the most beautiful beach he’s ever been to, dream or awake.

He turns back to Keith whose expression has softened: flirty smirk making way for a warm, loving smile. However, there’s an edge of nervousness—barely noticeable, only visible because Lance has grown to know Keith so well over the years, because they both are able to read each other so easily, their brainwaves in sync and their feelings attuned to each other.

With a soft smile, Lance squeezes Keith’s hand. “It’s beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here, Keith.”

A husky laugh and all air of tension is gone. Keith raises their joined hands to his lips to feather a kiss to each of Lance’s knuckles. “The other day, I tried experimenting with different color palettes to expand and ended up painting a scene like this,” he explains. “I knew I needed to show you. I know how important the ocean is to you.” Another laugh. “Honestly, I just painted without thinking about what I was doing. My subconscious must’ve picked up on how much I love you.”

Lance giggles, starting off softly until his voice rings through the air. “That was _so_ cheesy.” It takes another moment to compose himself again. He clears his throat, then smiles sweetly. “Well, I’d say you more than deserve a kiss now.”

And just like that, Keith’s playful smirk is back. “Nice.”

Lance lets go of Keith’s hand so he can wrap both arms around Keith’s neck. At the same time, Keith takes hold of Lance’s waist, drawing him even closer. They lock gazes for a second until Lance’s eyes flutter shut as their lips connect.

It by far isn’t their first—they shared countless of kisses over the past ten or so years—but it feels just as magical. It isn’t real in the physical sense, and yet, it _is_. This is _their_ reality, a shared sanctuary, just the two of them and the love they feel for each other.

Still, whenever Lance wakes up in the morning, he finds himself craving for the sensation of Keith’s lips, of wild, black hair between his fingertips, of strong arms holding him close. Finds himself wondering if Keith’s lips are as chapped as he imagines, if he’s always so _intense_ even when kissing Lance slowly, in the most gentle way. Wonders if the fresh, minty taste is just a result of the dreams mirroring the state they fell asleep in, brushing your teeth before bedtime and all. Indulges himself in the idea of tricking Keith into using chapstick by applying a nice layer to his own lips before kissing him.

But Lance is with Keith right now, so all that matters is that they’re sharing this moment together. Even if it’s _just_ a dream, it’s their reality, their private universe.

When they break the kiss they stay close, foreheads touching, soft smiles pulling at their lips. One of Keith’s hands has started wandering up and down Lance’s spine until it’s resting in the small of Lance’s back. Keith’s eyes are always glinting with nothing but pure affection. It never fails to make Lance’s head spin: the raw emotion, unfiltered love tangible in each of Keith’s gazes, smiles, gestures. Just how dizzy would he feel if it happened while awake?

To bring his attention back to the present moment, Lance kisses the corner of Keith’s smile before pulling away.

“Let’s go for a stroll by the shoreline,” he says. “I wanna know what the water feels like.”

Keith lets go so he can take Lance’s hand once more. He feathers another kiss to the back of Lance’s hand before half turning around to start leading the way. “Of course. That’s what I brought you here for, after all.”

“Aww, who knew you could be so sweet?” Lance teases, knowing fully well just how sweet Keith can really be. “And here I thought it was just to get that kiss.”

“Well, I mean, getting to kiss you is a great source of motivation.”

“Oh?”

They’re walking side by side. With a glance to the side, Lance can see Keith’s lopsided smirk.

“Yeah. In the rare event that I can’t push through with a workout or take on a new challenge, I just think about how I’d get to kiss you as a reward and suddenly it’s like lifting up a feather.” He’s laughing, but there’s nothing but honesty in his voice. “Actually, it works the same for assignments and exams. The more boring and tedious, the more effective.”

“Jeez. Good thing I’m not lactose intolerant, with all that cheese you’re spilling on me tonight.”

“Well, I have to feed you _somehow_ if I can’t treat you to actual food.”

For the briefest moment, the air is tense—filled with both of their longing to be together not just in dreams, but also the waking realm.

Lance squeezes Keith’s hand. “Remember, you only get to treat me to food if I get to treat you to a nice, home-cooked meal.”

Keith squeezes back. “I know, I know. And I’ll savor every bite of it and then wash the dishes.”

The longing will always sneak up on them, but the best they can do is to focus on what’s right there.

Lance smiles and swings their joined hands back and forth in the air to dissolve the remaining tension before dragging Keith closer to the shoreline until they’re stepping into the gentle flow of the waves. The water is pleasantly warm, the sensation of it mixed with the sand feeling soft like silk on Lance’s skin. He breathes in deeply and can smell the salt, though it has a sweet note on his tongue, like salted caramel popcorn. It feels like home, even more so because he’s there with Keith.

They continue strolling along the waves, talking about anything that comes to mind one moment, then savoring their closeness in comfortable silence the next. They only stop when they reach a dock where they can sit down and watch the dreamy sunset, and kiss underneath a purple sky filled with twinkling stars and a golden crescent moon shining down on them. They stay in each other’s arms until the night ends and it’s time to wake up for class.

 

They don’t have romantic dates every night. Sometimes, they choose to have little adventures, whether by conscious decision or the dreams reacting to their unspoken wishes.

That night is one of those times, in a way.

Lance went to bed feeling sentimental because he had remembered about his old childhood dream of becoming a space explorer. Of course, he knows that the reality of it is nothing at all like how he imagined it to be back then when he was younger. But sometimes, he still loses himself in the fantasy; it’s a source of inspiration for his music, especially now that he’s been encouraged to pursue it wholeheartedly and start over with a new major, even if it seems like a step back this late in his studies.

As it turns out, Keith’s feelings were similar.

When Lance’s consciousness settles in the dreamscape, he finds himself floating in the vastness of outer space, countless stars and planets stretched out in the distance before him, none of them familiar. What catches Lance’s eye the most are two stars twinkling brightly nearby: one red, the other blue.

“Wow,” Lance breathes, gazing at the scenery in awe.

“Do you like it?” Keith’s voice sounds from next to him.

Lance turns to face him. Keith is looking at him with attentive eyes and a smile, merely a slight quirk of his lips but the warmth is clear nonetheless.

Lance laughs softly. “Is this your doing?”

“What if it is?” Keith raises an eyebrow.

“So it _is_.”

Keith chuckles, unable to hold up his own charade. “Yeah. I was painting for my portfolio for art school when I remembered how we both wanted to be space explorers as kids, so, well… I imagined a universe we could explore together.”

“You didn’t paint _all_ of it, did you?”

Keith shakes his head with another laugh. “While that’s really tempting of a challenge, nah, I just painted this starting point. But I have it all in my head and I want to explore it with you.”

“What are you waiting for, then?” Lance smiles. “Take my hand and show me the universe you created.”

“No objections?”

“Nah. I want to explore it with you, too.”

Keith’s smile widens as he reaches out to take Lance’s hand, intertwining their fingers. Lance notices that it’s one of the many nights Keith is wearing fingerless gloves. His typical style is a mix between cool biker and jock ready to hit the gym. Not surprising, as Lance knows he’d played football all his life, does strength workouts nearly every day, and loves riding his motorbike.

They start floating forward, celestial bodies of all kinds passing them by. The planets look like oversized marbles, some solid in color, others painted in all kinds of patterns and color palettes. They can cross asteroid belts by jumping from rock to rock like they’re crossing a river without a man-made bridge. The stars are glowing white and yellow, illuminating the darkness of the void.

The further they go, the more the silence of the vacuum disappears—starting with a soft hum, a vibration from deep beyond, evolving into a soundscape. Soon, their ears are filled with a symphony to match the visuals of the dream. Lance knows there isn’t supposed to be music out there, just like how they aren’t supposed to float in just their regular clothes without protection or oxygen supply. But the dreams don’t care about that. They always react to their feelings, and his heart was full of love and wonder; creating a composition to accompany Keith’s artwork, like a personal score to the movie of their love.

Even as the scenery changes and they travel from solar system to solar system, galaxy to galaxy, Lance notices that one thing stays the same, one remarkable detail jumping the eye: the red and blue companion stars, always in sight. The only two stars glowing in vivid, bright colors, visible wherever they go, like a fixed point in the universe, like _they_ are the center of the universe.

Lance’s eyebrows knit together. Is this just a coincidence, the mysterious ways their dreams work, or did Keith…?

He turns his face to the side. Keith is looking ahead, a smile on his face, that same smile he always holds when he feels proud, whether of himself or of Lance. There’s just a hint of boldness, confirming that yes, Keith _did_. Keith created these stars, this red and blue binary system, as the whole cosmos’ north star.

Lance huffs a laugh. When Keith turns to look at him, smile still in place, the same bold edge but at the same time softening with fondness and a gleam in his eyes, Lance smiles and says, “You’re impossible, you know that, right?”

“Impossibly in love with you, yeah,” Keith replies without missing a beat.

Lance huffs another laugh. “Well, the feeling is mutual.”

“I know, and I’m so happy.”

Lance smiles and squeezes Keith’s hand. He leans forward to peck a kiss to Keith’s matching smile. “Me too.”

For a moment, they just float in place, holding gazes. But then, the curl of Keith’s lips turns playful. “Wanna have some fun?”

“Uh, sure?” Lance raises an eyebrow. He has no idea what Keith could mean saying that phrase in the middle of outer space, so naturally, he’s curious. “What do you have in mind?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” Keith replies. “I promise you’ll love it.”

“As long as it’s better than diving straight down a cliff on a hoverbike…”

“Oh come on, that was _awesome_ and you know it.” Keith huffs. “But really, just trust me on this.”

“You know I trust you more than anyone else,” Lance says softly.

Keith strokes Lance’s knuckles, his favorite gentle gesture. Lance knows that in part, it’s because Keith fidgets with his thumb and fingers, but that does nothing to take away the caring affection behind it. It eases Keith’s anxiety and soothes Lance at the same time.

“Let’s go, then,” Keith says. “We have to find a good starting point.”

“Lead the way.”

“With pleasure.”

Keith turns to float ahead, Lance following just a step behind. Their hands remain joined. Keith takes them all the way to a purple planet with a ring system, landing on the outermost ring. Lance doesn’t know what to expect, but it kind of feels like gliding on a rink of ice. Not that Lance gets to go ice skating very often, but whenever he does, it’s fun.

Lance follows as Keith glides over the surface of the ring. Neither of them speaks until Lance asks, “So… is this the fun activity you wanted to show me? Ice skate on Purple Saturn's rings? Not that I’m complaining, just curious.”

“Yes and no,” Keith replies. “The main event is still coming up. Just thought we might as well have some more fun on the way.”

“So what _is_ this main event?”

“Patience. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“I don’t need to hear this from Mr. _I have no impulse control_ ,” Lance scoffs.

“Hey, that’s a lie. I do have an impulse control.” Keith argues.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, he’s this tall, loves the ocean, has the most lovely blue eyes, and he just so happens to be my beautiful soulmate whose hand I love holding.”

“Huh?” Lance blinks until Keith’s words hit at the sound of a low chuckle. He bumps Keith’s shoulder with his own and whines, “Oh, don’t be so proud of yourself for that one! That was lame.”

“It was perfect and you know it. You gave me an opportunity and I took it.”

“Well, I _guess_ I am your impulse control, even if my influence is limited to night time.”

“Actually, I often ask myself, _would Lance disapprove of this?_ If no, I can go ahead. If yes, I stop.” A pause. “Well, it doesn’t work _all_ the time, but it’s a powerful method.”

“Wow. I can’t believe you have a tiny angel Lance sitting on your shoulder telling you what to do.” Lance giggles. “I can clearly see it, tiny angel me arguing with your impulsiveness in the form of a tiny devil Keith on your other shoulder.”

“Clearly, the tiny devil Keith is purple with fangs while tiny angel Lance is, well, a radiant angel.”

“Totally.”

Their laughter rings through the air—or technical lack thereof—as they continue to glide along the ring. Looking down at his feet, Lance sees glittery particles and a lot of see-through space. If he didn’t know that this was a dream and nothing could happen to him even if Keith wasn’t there with him, he might be a little scared. Maybe he’s a little nervous still from the intrusive thought of _wow, just think if I fall through that_ , but overall, he’s calm.

Eventually, Keith stops. “This spot is perfect.” He turns to Lance. “The next part might feel a bit dangerous. Are you okay with that?”

Lance smiles and replies in a joking voice, “As long as you keep holding my hand.”

“Of course.” Keith smiles. “Okay, so the plan is, we just need to jump at the right time. Jump when I give the signal.”

“Okay.”

Keith gives a squeeze to his hand before he turns again, looking out to the edge of the ring. Lance turns as well, trying to see what Keith is planning. All he can spot is a golden moon nearby, down below, looking comically large and up-close even though Lance knows that realistically, there’s a huge distance.

Seconds trickle by like sand in the hourglass until finally, Keith says, “Now. Jump.”

And Keith jumps—and Lance follows suit not even a split-second after. Lance still couldn’t figure out what Keith’s plan is and as they’re falling through the void, he wonders if Keith just wanted to jump around. But then, there’s a gleam and Lance gasps.

They land right on a moonbeam. And now they’re sliding down at high speed.

Lance lets out a squeaky scream and clings closer to Keith who’s laughing, without holding back. The sound hits Lance right in the heart and a million butterflies erupt in his stomach.

Taking a breath, Lance pulls his attention to the sensations of the experience to ground himself from the initial scare. The golden light is velvety soft. Sliding down feels kinda like a waterslide, and Lance loves waterslides. It’s not scary, nor dangerous. It’s wondrous and fun.

Finally, Lance joins in the laughter. He remains close to Keith, not in a cling, but leaning comfortably into his side just because he wants to be close.

It feels right out of a fairytale, sliding down a moonbeam in the embrace of the boy you love. Maybe Lance’s dreams are nothing but fairy tales, maybe he’s just a hopeless romantic. But that’s okay because Keith is along for the ride at every step of the way. They both are the heroes of their own fairytale; their fates, their lives, are tangled together, bound by love.

And that’s what Lance always loved the most, more than he enjoys each of his little dates and adventures with Keith. Because as amazing as their dreams are, just the fact that they _have_ this bond, this unique link among countless possible soulmate links, that they can share all of their dreams in the literal sense…

It’s possibly the greatest wonder in the universe. Lance’s gratitude goes beyond words.

And to perfect the fairytale image, he can’t help but lean in and kiss Keith, at the same time as Keith leans in to kiss him, too. A soft, loving kiss surrounded by the warm, golden light, a picture-perfect fairytale moment in a picture-perfect dreamscape. And Lance wouldn’t want to miss it for anything in the world.

 

One night, Keith is acting… strange, in a way.

They’re floating on a fluffy cloud through a clear blue sky. _Floating on cloud nine_ , Lance thinks to himself with a smile. Down below, the world is stretched out and tiny like a miniature model build with Legos. After many dreams like this, the cloud still feels just like how you imagine it to be as a kid—soft and bouncy like a plush cushion. Lance knows they’re perfectly safe up here.

Everything is the same as always, except Keith is quieter, his smile softer, his eyes holding an edge Lance can’t quite place. He’s holding Lance’s hand loosely, tracing it as if trying to memorize every curve, every line.

Keith gets like this sometimes so Lance doesn’t think too much of it; just basks in the softness of the moment, leans into the touch. He fills the silence with a soft hum, a song he’s been working on, because he knows that Keith enjoys the way he sings. He smiles when he feels Keith feather kisses against his hair.

In the distance, Lance can see rain showers on different sides. Rainbows are filling the sky all around them, painting the clear blue in their vivid colors and glittering like auroras. It’s breathtaking. Crystal bells are chiming faintly, sounding from the heart to reflect the peaceful mood, the ethereal atmosphere.

But it doesn’t stay this way.

A deep sigh disrupts the scene.

Lance turns in his seat, eyebrows knitting in concern. “What’s wrong?”

Keith smiles warmly, but Lance can see the melancholy heavy in his eyes. It sends a chill down his spine from the sheer intensity. Keith has always been all about intensity in his emotions, and it especially shows in his eyes. _Mirrors of the soul_ , huh?

“Everything’s fine. Don’t worry,” Keith reassures.

But Lance isn’t convinced. He can tell something’s up. He always can, just like Keith can in return.

“You don’t have to talk about it,” Lance says softly, “But you know I’ll always listen when something’s bothering you, right?”

Keith’s smile remains in place. His thumb gently rubs Lance’s knuckles. “I know. But I can’t… not right now.”

“Okay.” Lance leans in to touch his forehead against Keith’s. “Whenever you’re ready.”

For a moment, they just hold gazes. This close up, Lance can see his own eyes reflected in Keith’s, royal blue against indigo. Then, Lance’s eyes flutter shut in anticipation and not a second later, he feels Keith’s lips against his, kissing him gently, so much softer than any kiss they’ve ever had before. As if Lance’s lips were fragile, as if Keith was scared the moment was gonna shatter right under his touch if it was more than the touch of a down feather, a butterfly landing on a blossom.

When they part again, Keith pulls Lance in, holding him close against his chest. He sighs against Lance’s hair. “It’s time to wake up soon.”

“Huh? But we didn’t spend that much time here yet, did we?”

Keith shakes his head. “No. But for me.” He pulls away to kiss Lance’s forehead, then his nose. “I love you, Lance. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”

“I love you too,” Lance says. He’s trying to say more, ask what Keith means, why he’s being so cryptic… but his tongue feels too heavy, his throat closing up on him the way it only happens when anxiety plagues him during the days.

Keith smiles, raising their joined hands to kiss Lance’s knuckles.

Then, with a distant clap of thunder, he fades from the dream and Lance falls.

For the first time in years, he wakes with a start, and not in the way where you wish your alarm wasn’t ringing so you could get back to the dream. It’s the kind where you feel disoriented and your heart’s beating fast from a sense of threat you can’t locate. It stays with him the whole day.

The next time he falls asleep, he’s alone in a foggy void full of too many sounds and suffocating like the vacuum of outer space at the same time.

≻─ ⋆✩⋆ ─≺

Lance woke up to Rachel giving his shoulder a gentle shake with a whisper-shout that it was time to get up before the door was shut. Lance sighed, curling further up on himself. He was half tempted to just stay like that forever, but eventually gave up and took off his sleep-mask before disentangling from the comforter. After all, it was time for him to move to the dorms for the new semester.

He was still going to be at the same college nearby that he’d been to the whole time, but with his change to start pursuing music as a career now, he had decided it was just more convenient to stay on campus, even if it wasn’t far from home.

He got up and took the black pen from his night table to scribble a black cloud on his cute cartoon cat wall calendar. Another void of a dream. _Another night without Keith_.

It had been weeks now. Lance hadn’t told anyone about Keith’s sudden disappearance, not even his grandma. Though he had a feeling that his family could tell that something was wrong, he was grateful that no one asked any questions. That made it easier to hide the worries away, try to make them disappear. Even if he knew that bottling things up wasn’t so good, especially concerning emotions, already having battled with anxiety for years.

With a sigh, he stepped in front of his dresser to pick the outfit for the day and get dressed. A comfortable, a-bit-looser binder that he also wore for exercising because he knew he was gonna do a lot of carrying up and down the stairs. A light gray t-shirt and a pastel blue button-up. Navy capri pants. Comfortable, but still fashionable. In case it got chilly, he’d wear his too-large dark green hand-me-down jacket.

Finally, it was time to join his family for breakfast before he had to get to packing.

He didn’t have to pack _everything_ ; it was fine if he later realized he forgot something that he needed, as the drive wasn’t long. Still, he spent some time trying to prioritize importance here and there, as he didn’t want to arrive with a full wardrobe right off the bat. What he definitely knew he couldn’t go without were his instruments and other gear—he needed those to be able to work—as well as his skin- and hair care supplies.

He sighed again as he closed the last box. His inspiration, too, had seemed to fade with Keith’s disappearance. It wasn’t _gone_ , but things just felt… off, like something was lacking. He didn’t feel the same magic when making music. To avoid that feeling, he had dived into excessively listening to countless other artists and bands through every possible genre, digging through the web for new discoveries, to learn new things by soaking up their sounds if he couldn’t find his spark back right now. After all, everyone needed a creative break now and then, and he was still _doing_ something, never stopped immersing in music. His library across various platforms had grown considerably.

Once he had everything loaded in his small car, he said goodbye to his family. Even knowing how close he was still gonna be, Lance found himself caught in a circle of tight hugs. Not that he minded; he would miss his family. After all, homesickness was the reason he had avoided the dorms up until now. But he felt this was the right decision.

The drive itself was uneventful—his car may have been old, but it was well maintained; the perks of being friends with a genius engineer who could work with any kinds of machines. He also found that the faded blue had it’s charm, though maybe he’d ask his friends for a fresh paint job soon.

Before he knew it, he stopped in the parking lot by his dorm building and jumped out of the car to start carrying his stuff up to his room. When he had everything gathered, he started unpacking and settling in right away. He didn’t like clutter and it gave him something to keep occupied when he wasn’t sure what else to do.

But once that was done, he let himself fall on his freshly-made bed. He inhaled the familiar scent of the detergent his mom used at home as he nuzzled his nose into his favorite blue duvet cover with white stars before rolling over on his back.

He stared up at the ceiling, considering his options. There was no need for a campus tour, as he’d been at this school for the past couple of years already. At most, he could walk around the building, though he figured he was familiar enough with everything here as well from his short visits with classmates to hang out and work on projects. For now, he could just lay here and catch his breath before he might make a trip to the dining hall for lunch.

A loud knock on the door interrupted his musings.

Surprised, Lance stood to open the door. Parting his lips ready to greet whoever it was, he was left gaping.

In front of him stood a familiar figure, a face he knew even better than his own. A meeting that he had always _hoped_ would one day happen outside his dreams, but didn’t dare believe would be any time soon.

And yet, here he was in the flesh: the one and only Keith Kogane, right in front of him, holding himself as confidently as ever. A warm shine in his stormy eyes, his lips tugged upwards in a smile—and a giant bouquet of red roses in his right hand.

“Surprise,” said the oh-so-familiar gravelly voice with a breath of laughter.

It took Lance a second or two to work up a reaction. “You—what— _how_ —” the words died on his tongue, his ability to form full sentences gone with his mind still processing.

Keith huffed another laugh. “Is this how you greet your soulmate who you’ve never seen apart from dreams?” he teased.

And that’s when the dam broke. Lance dived right in, not caring about the flowers. Not that it mattered, as Keith’s reflexes caught him in a hug while keeping the bouquet save from impact at the same time. And just like that, everything felt so _right_. He fit right into Keith’s arms, just like in his dreams, like this was how it had always been meant to be. They had always been meant to be together.

“You idiot,” he sobbed against Keith’s chest. “You just disappeared and I didn’t know what happened. I was so scared!”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Keith’s voice was a soothing whisper against his hair. “I didn’t know how else I could keep up the surprise when I’m too excited knowing I’ll meet you soon.”

“Why did it even have to be a surprise?” Lance leaned away just a fraction so he could peek up at Keith through his eyelashes, the tears still flowing from his eyes.

“Because! Because I wanted to have a big entrance like in all your favorite rom-coms! I even bought you the biggest bouquet I could possibly find!”

Lance couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped him along with another sob. “You’re ridiculous, oh my god. I can’t believe you’re the guy I love.”

“Hey, you already knew I’d go way overboard for you!”

“I know!” Lance made a noise he didn’t even know how to categorize himself. He hid his face against Keith’s shirt once more, taking in the tangy scent, warm like a camp-fire with a trace of cinnamon. He could feel the rumble of Keith’s chuckle, the steady rise and fall of his chest with every breath.

“Hey,” Keith said softly. “Can I come in? We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“You mean you have some explaining to do.” Lance huffed. He pulled away, finally smiling up at his soulmate. “Yes, let’s sit down.”

He led Keith to the bed once the door was shut behind them. The roses were put carefully on the desk and they sat down, close together, their hands finding each other like magnets, fingers intertwining like it was the most natural thing.

And Keith explained. How he’d been working so hard on his portfolio, but not for elite art schools; how rather, he wanted to make sure he would be able to secure a place at Lance’s school, both with his art and his successes on the football field. How he’d planned this for so long he was amazed at himself he hadn’t spilled it right from the start. Lance kept falling back and forth between tears and laughter but in the end, the pure joy of being reunited at last won over any other feeling.

And when they finally shared their first kiss in the waking world, Lance felt like he was burning up with blissful warmth, with nothing but _love_.

That night, the technicolor dreamscape returned. And Keith was with him, at night and in the days.

Lance’s life was a dream, both awake and asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/crystalklances), [tumblr](https://crystalklances.tumblr.com) and [instagram](https://instagram.com/crystalklances) where you can find out about different ways you can support me!


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